Lend me an Ear?

No, I haven’t vanished into the Witness Protection Program, but I’m flattered that you’ve noticed my recent absence from blogging. I’ve been busy making earrings. My new short hair has prompted me to pay more attention to my ears. When you have shorter hair your ears show more and I’m realizing the opportunity to wear fun, expressive earrings again to go with my fun new ‘do.

The last two days have been a whirlwind of hot gluing, a little sewing and even some work with my jewelry pliers, which I haven’t used in years. I created eight pairs of earrings and fixed another pair that I’d made years ago but had broken. Materials included film negatives, paint, colored Duck tape, Legos, feathers, felt, rayon fabric, beads, tiny glass pieces, thread, plastic Shrinky Dinks, and doilies. Found objects galore! Plus, since I had all the materials in my creative stash, these nine pairs of earrings were free!

 

                                                         

                           

 

You know you are avoiding folding laundry excited about a new creative project when every pair of earrings you make leads to another fun idea for more earrings. All this inspiration must be a sign from the heavens that housework can wait but ear ornaments should not.

When I stop to think about it, maybe it’s a little strange that people voluntarily poke permanent holes through their ears so as to fasten jewelry. Who first regarded earlobes as convenient spots for attaching baubles? Who knows? But this trend is likely to stick around for a while, and my renewed interest in earrings comes from a desire to make art and to wear things that show my true spirit. Earrings can be small pieces of art and you (the wearer) are the mobile gallery!

A Passion for the Peculiar

While walking in a favorite neighborhood I came across something that halted me in my tracks. It was a purple house on wheels. Love it! Who paints an RV purple? Clearly these are my people!

 

It’s probably circa 1967 (or so), according to the online photos I’ve consulted. This seems particularly fitting as this cheerful vintage vehicle conjures up a song from approximately the same era, Sheb Wooley’s “One-eyed, One-horned Flyin’ Purple Eater."

Don’t you love these fun surprises? You turn a corner and something unexpected makes you laugh or smile. It’s the little things that can make your day…

The Big Switch

I’ve been contemplating the big switch.

No, not gender reassignment surgery, but that was a good guess.

I’ve been mulling over a major haircut. The idea popped into my head about a month ago but I needed to be sure I was ready for a big change.  I almost never wear my hair down. But I needed to be certain this was not just a post-full-moon whim.

What’s brought this on, you wonder? Several things. In the last month or two I’ve come across a number of women who have short hair and a ton of style and confidence and I’m drawn to that, and to them. They are fearless! They are bold. They follow their own drumbeat rather than trends or societal expectation. I’ve had very short hair before. Was it time to revisit that look? Some women look great with short hair. It takes some confidence and your face is more exposed. What I’m after is kind of rock-and-rollish, but with a 1960s mod bob vibe, and definitely not Carol Brady soccer mom hair.

For many of us, our hair is a barometer of how we’re feeling, how we see ourselves, and the version of ourselves we want to be. I wanted my hair to go with how I feel on the inside: spunky!

Today was the day. Gabby did it. She’s been cutting my hair for eight or nine years, and she’s amazing. I need to grow the bangs out a little more to get the look I’m after. But it’s a change and I was past ready for something different. I can’t say the family is used to it yet. The kids literally are calling it “boy hair.” Hmmm. Boyish? Can’t they see I have false eyelashes on? Clearly a feminine look!

Oh well. You can’t please everyone. But you should be able to choose your own haircut. This is America, after all!

Change is energizing and I’m glad I did it.

 

 

 

Thank You

Thank you to all the veterans who have served and protected the United States.